Hat-stretcher.



PATENTED JAN. 8, 1905.

M. W. BOYLE. HAT STRETOHER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 1. 190a.

JNVENTOR ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES.-

UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

HAT-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,258, dated January 3, 1905. Application filed December 1, 1903. Serial No. 183,544.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MICHAEL W. BOYLE, of Bloomfield, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Hat-Stretcher, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention provides a device that is adapted to stretch hats and to equalize the ratio between the length and breadth of a hat.

A further object is to provide a stretcher of this class that is adapted for use in hat-stores or places where hats are sold, and is designed to be used on a hat after it is finished and it does not quite fit the intending purchaser and needs stretching.

In stretchers of the kind now used they provide a longitudinal movement only, which is usually accomplished by means of a screw placed between two half-sections, the screw having a right and left thread that fits into the respective section. This provides a movement in one direction only, and it is to overcome this difliculty that this construction has been devised. The present stretcher is composed of elements or blocks moving radially and arranged to be moved simultaneously by an actuating mechanism common to all of them.

The device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a top view of the stretcher, and Fig. 2 is a part elevation and part section of the device.

As will be seen from the drawings, a plate 10, provided with slots 11, acts to guide the blocks 12, which are held in engagement by means of the screws 13. The blocks, which may be of any necessary number, but I preferably use four, are adapted to move away from and toward the center of the plate 10.. At the center of the plate 10 is a boss 14:, that acts as a bearing for the screw 15, this screw being actuated by a handle portion 16. On the lower end of the screw 15 is a truncated cone-shaped flange 17 and the inner side of the blocks 12 are inclined and may have a plate 18 secured thereto. A peripheral groove 19 may be placed around the blocks 12, in which can be placed a rubber or other suitable elastic band 20. Now when it is desired to stretch a hat the blocks can be placed at their normal positions, as shown in Fig. 1, and then by operating the screw 15 the flange 17 is forced down along the faces of the inclined inner surfaces of the blocks and they are forced away from the center and the hat is stretched in all directions equally. Pins 21 can be arranged in perforations between the blocks to keep them alined. When the stretching has been completed and the flange 17 is withdrawn by means of the screw 15, the elastic band serves to press the blocks together; but when the band is not used the device can be encircled by the hands and the blocks readily pressed into their normal positions. If it is desired to stretch a hat more longitudinally or to greater extent laterally, the inner inclined faces 18 of those respective blocks can have a greater pitch and will necessarily have a larger radius of actionthan the others.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a hatstretcher that is easily manipulated and that stretches the hat equally in all directions or can be constructed to stretch in particular directions in excess of the others.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- I 1. A hat-stretcher comprising a supportingplate, having slots therein, blocks arranged to slide underneath the plate, screws passing through the slots in the plate and securing the blocks, a screw-threaded boss on the supporting plate, an actuating-screw passing through the boss, a handle on the screw, 21. flange on the inner end of the screw, the aforesaid blocks having inclined faces on their inner edges adapted to be forced apart by the progression of the flange between them, and means arranged around the periphery to return the blocks to their normal positions.

2. A hat-stretcher. comprising a plate having a screw-threaded perforation, blocks having inclined inner faces, means for suspending said blocks in sliding relation to the plate, and a screw passing through the plate and having a flange secured thereto and turning and pins projecting part Way into the blocks witlilit, slaidi flange engaging the inclined faces on their abutting faces. of t e b 00 s to force them apart.

3. A hat-stretcher, comprisinga plate, solid MICHAEL BOYLE 5 blocks suspended from the plate and arranged Witnesses:

to move radially, a screw passing the plate WM. A. PALITTO, and engaging the inner faces of the blocks, WM. J. KEARNS. 

